Christopher Townsend
Christopher Francis Theodore Townsend is a Hutorian politician for the Christian Democratic Alternative(CDA) and is that party's parliamentary leader. He served as minister of Foreign Affairs in the third Huxley cabinet. Within the CDA he is known for his liberal views and his youthfulness. Early life Christopher Townsend was born on July 25, 2372 as the only child of Martin and Helen Townsend. His father is an insurance clerk and his mother an elementary school teacher in the rural Lagard town of Westfield. His parents are fifth generation immigrants from Aloria, the birthplace of Quakerism, and the Townsends are firm Quakers. Christopher visited the elementary school where his mother taught and later visited Westfield High School. He went on to study International Politics at the University of Falristan and graduated top of his class. One month after his graduation Hutori seceded from the Union of Macon and Townsend enlisted with the Royal Hutorian Army where, as a Quaker, he served as a communications officer. He obtained a written guarantee that he would never have to relay orders which could results in casualties on either side and was put in charge of communication between several military hospitals in Adelia. Political career In 2396 Townsend felt that he could serve his Quaker faith and Hutori better if he put his negotiation skills to good use. He became a member of the CDA party and was selected by Prime Minister Huxley to become Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2399. Unfortunately for him, the CDA hawks under the leadership of Shadow Defence Minister Walter Wordsworth were in charge of the CDA parliamentary wing and Townsend accomplished very little during his tenure as Foreign Affairs minister. In 2401 the CDA lost the elections and it was widely rumoured that Townsend would be the first leader to be elected directly by the members in a leadership contest. He surprisingly lost the contest to the war-hawk Wordsworth. Wordsworth and Townsend clashed often with each other, because of the different philosophies the men represented. By 2405 the fear of invasion had largely subsided and the CDA member recalled Wordsworth from the leadership and organised another leadership contest which was easily won by Townsend. Wordsworth accepted a job as Defence Minister. When the UFD started a manipulative terror campaign in 2410 in Western Falristan Townsend uncharacteristically supported Wordsworth's hard measures against them. Prime Ministership After the victory of the CDA in the March 2413 elections Christopher Townsend became one of the youngest Prime Ministers in Hutorian history. Downfall During the years that followed the youthful Prime Minister was unable to exert influence over his fellow ministers and the CDA lost the following elections. In the 2421 election Townsend presided over the largest electoral defeat in CDA history. He became increasingly authoritarian and even though the CDA gained a few seats in the 2425 elections, he was replaced as leader by Charles Henry de Berlaymont. Trivia * Townsend likes cycling. * Townsend regularly suffers from migraine attacks. * Enlisted with the Royal Hutorian Army, an unusual move for a Quaker, because he believed that the country was in danger. Category:Hutori